Glossary

When you’re looking for a family dentist in or around Wheat Ridge, Golden, and Denver, CO, it’s critical to find someone who’s both trustworthy and will make you feel comfortable. At Gentle Smiles of Colorado, we’ll make sure to go above and beyond to guarantee that you’ll be right at home in our family-friendly office that’s perfect for all ages. As your trusted Denver general dentist, we always want you to feel relaxed and understanding about your dental situation and dentistry, in general. For your benefit, we’ve provided a list of definitions for all the key terms in the field of dentistry.

-A-

Abscess - an infection that can be caused by severe tooth decay, gum disease or trauma

Amalgam - a silver and mercury material commonly used for fillings

Anesthetic - a drug used by your dentist to relieve a patient's pain during certain procedures

Anterior - a group of teeth that are in the front of your mouth

Apex - the tip of the root of a tooth

Aspirator - a device used to evacuate the fluid that builds up in mouths through suction

-B-

Bonding - applying a tooth-colored plastic composite on the teeth, typically used to improve their appearance

-R-

Root Canal - a procedure that includes cleaning out and filling in the inside nerve of a tooth that is severely decayed

-S-

Sealant - a thin, protective coating (commonly made from plastic) that is applied to teeth to prevent decay

Secondary Teeth - the permanent teeth that grow in after primary teeth have fallen out

Sleep Apnea - a common disorder in which a sleeping person stops breathing for possibly 10 seconds or more at a time, on and off throughout the night

-T-

TMJ Syndrome - a disorder that is associated with the jaw and face muscles often caused by misalignment or a difference between the upper and lower jaw sizes

Tooth Whitening - a process that is designed to help remove teeth stains or discoloration, in turn whitening the teeth

-V-

Veneer - veneers are ultra-thin shells of plastic, porcelain or composite material that are used to improve the look of stained or damaged teeth

Contact Your Wheat Ridge, Golden, and Denver, CO Family Dentist!

If you’re interested in scheduling an appointment with your Denver general dentist, we encourage you to give us a call at one of our three convenient locations. Our Golden office phone number is (303) 278-2800, our Wheat Ridge office phone number is (303) 425-5100, and our Denver office phone number is (303) 756-2770. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We can’t wait to hear from you!